The Art Gallery of St. Albert is turning things back to the past for its upcoming fundraiser event. The real purpose of REWIND/PLAY is to have a kind of birthday party for the gallery’s educational programs that started all the way back in 1985.
“We’re really excited about it!” enthused Jenny Willson-McGrath, the gallery’s director and curator.
Staff organizers have been really good at devising successful themes for these annual events, and this one seemed like a natural fit that would be a lot of fun. There might be neon clothes and big, big hair but there will certainly be more people in the crowd than there were when the gallery played host to its own fundraiser last year. There have been a few shifts in concept of these things over the last several years.
Willson-McGrath said it’s been a progression toward a smaller art sale model.
“Bring people in house and show them more of the gallery,” she said of the previous philosophy. “We were going to make funds by selling art! It’s not that we haven’t been successful but we just haven’t been as successful as we’d hoped.”
“The idea for this year is ‘Let’s get a bigger venue so more people can come.’ One of the things we’ve been really great at is selling tickets to our events. We could have more people come and join in.”
St. Albert Place certainly fits the bill as a larger venue. It also makes sense for another appropriate reason. Recently, the gallery has taken on the responsibility for the community arts programming at the studios in St. Albert Place.
“This is kind of a way of letting everyone know that we’re doing that too.”
The event will have lots going on including hands-on programming – such as working with clay and printmaking – in the studios.
“We just want to encourage people to get involved and have a go and enjoy themselves in that way. Maybe it will encourage them to come back and take a class with us as well. A lot of people have been through those studios but I think we can introduce those studios to the whole of the community and they’ll see what a great facility it is and want to take classes there too.”
There will also be an auction featuring five larger works of art by Frances Alty-Arscott, Pierre Bataillard, Jim Davies, and Peter Ivens. The auction will have some smaller pieces such as jewelry and ceramics as well. Attendees must purchase tokens to participate in the studio activities.
Guests will also enjoy demonstrations, hors d’oeuvres, live music and entertainment, plus a cash bar, prizes, and raffle.
REWIND/PLAY takes place on Sat., March 14 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at St. Albert Place. Advance tickets are $30, $20 for Arts and Heritage/SAPVAC members, or $35 at the door (subject to availability).
For tickets or further information, please call the gallery at 780-460-4310 or visit www.artgalleryofstalbert.ca.
